Chang Tse-yu, 17, made a 150cm-tall rainbow flag and is carrying it on a walking journey around the island. The flag reads “Starting point: Tainan. Destination: where discrimination does not exist.” He picked August 20, Lovers’ Day, to stand in front of Yilan train station holding a poster to get more people to take notice of gender neutrality issues and wish both homosexual and hetetrosexual couples a happy Lovers’ Day.
“Mom, I’ve got a boyfriend.” Chang said as he summoned up the courage to come out to his mother before he embarked on his journey. He says he is very fortunate, because his mother, who raised him on her own, said, “My son is so successful; he has a boyfriend when he is only 17. He is in the winner’s club.”
Chang set out on his journey from Tainan on July 30 and started traveling clockwise around the island. On the afternoon of August 20, he stood in front of the bustling Yilan train station with a poster that read, “I am gay. I am not strange. We are no different from heterosexuals; we simply love and support each other.” He hopes that by taking his journey at a slow pace he can reach out to more people and let them realize that gay people are just like anyone else. He hopes that in the future gay people can also have equal rights under the law.
Photo: Chien Hui-ju, Taipei Times
照片:自由時報記者簡惠茹攝
Chang says that many people have treated him with kindness on his journey. Some families invited him to have dinner, share his coming-out experience and discuss gender-neutrality issues. Some childcare class teachers also invited him to speak to the children, telling them that men are not necessarily attracted to women and not every man has to be masculine. He also told everyone about the meaning of the rainbow flag.
The sad part is that he has also heard some gay people share their experiences of suffering discrimination. He says that there were those whose families rose up in revolt when they came out of the closet, and others who lost their jobs for the same reason. Although these people have found new jobs, they no longer have the courage to reveal their gay identities. Chang says that since he came out he has still been enjoying people’s care and respect. He hopes that by traveling around the island he can share this warmth with more gay people and give them strength, and he also hopes that Taiwan will have a better gender-friendly environment in the future.
(Liberty Times, translated by Ethan Zhan)
十七歲的張澤瑜自製一百五十公分高的彩虹旗,扛著旗子走路環島,旗子上寫著從台南出發,目的地是沒有歧視的地方。他特地選在八月二十日七夕情人節當天,站在宜蘭火車站前,拉起海報,讓更多人重視性別友善議題,也祝福同性、異性情侶情人節快樂。
「媽媽,我有男朋友了。」張澤瑜環島出發前才鼓起勇氣向媽媽出櫃。他說他很幸運,獨自扶養他長大的媽媽這麼回答:「我的兒子這麼成功,十七歲就有男朋友,簡直是人生勝利組。」出櫃後的張澤瑜不但受到尊重,也感受到更多朋友的關懷,讓他決定要趁著這個暑假,帶著彩虹旗走路環島,讓更多同志感受到暖暖的關心,也讓更多人關心同志議題。
張澤瑜七月三十日從台南出發,順時針方向環島。八月二十日下午張澤瑜帶著海報,站在人來人往的宜蘭火車站前,上面寫著:「我是同志,我並不奇怪,我們和異性戀一樣,我們單純的相愛,並彼此扶持。」張澤瑜希望透過慢慢走,認識更多人,也讓更多人認識同志其實就像一般人一樣,希望未來同志也能受到法律的平等保障。
張澤瑜說,一路走來感受到許多人的關懷,有家庭邀請他一起晚餐,分享同志出櫃的心情,還有談論性別友善的議題;也有安親班老師請他與小朋友分享。他告訴孩子們,男生不一定會喜歡女生,男生也不一定要很陽剛,並介紹彩虹旗的意義讓大家知道。
難過的是,也有同志與他訴說受到歧視的故事。他說,有同志因為出櫃而家庭鬧大革命,還因此丟了工作,雖然已經找到新工作,但也不敢再說出同志的身份。張澤瑜說,自己出櫃後還是受到大家的關心和尊重,希望透過環島,把這份溫暖帶給更多同志朋友,帶給大家更多力量,也期許台灣的性別環境能更友善。
〔自由時報記者簡惠茹〕
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